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Good morning, Portland! Today will likely be the hottest day so far this year, and the worst of the heat wave. With a high of 103 degrees, it’s important to find an air conditioned, or at least shaded space to hang out if possible. Keep your pets inside and limit your time outdoors (unless you’re a lizard like me and you need to feel the sun bake your skin to feel alive). đŸ„”đŸŠŽ

It's a good day to find a cool spot and do some reading. Start with the news:

  • Speaking of dangerous heat, Multnomah County says the county medical examiner is investigating the cause of four deaths–all men who died between July 5 and July 7–that were likely heat-related. The county said Monday that three of the people whose deaths are being investigated were Multnomah County residents. Another person who wasn’t a county resident was brought to a Portland hospital, where he died. The county is reopening cooling centers today at noon.
  • In yet another reminder of why local journalism is crucial, a recent KGW investigation found a head trainer at an Orangetheory gym in Portland collected thousands in charitable donations from gym members, but never donated the funds to the local nonprofits he promised to. A police investigation is now underway into former coach Ryan Tong, AKA “RyRy” who previously held gym sessions where the class fees were supposed to go toward charity, and in some cases, were supposed to be matched by Tong. Orangetheory Slabtown, where Tong worked, has now promised to donate $17,000 to the nonprofits that never saw donations.
  • Summer boredom setting in? Here are 45(!) things to do this week, from live shows to visual art, and a festival dedicated to tea. đŸ«–
  • If you’ve got room in your heart, and home for a dog, 14 just arrived in Portland from the Humane Society, via a Wings of Rescue flight. Nine of the dogs–most of them pitbull terrier mixes–were rescued from a dog-fighting operation in New Jersey. The others were taken from a breeder in Oklahoma who kept the dogs in bad conditions.
  • It’s hot. Let someone else do the cooking. It’s the Mercury’s Nacho Week, which means this whole week, you can grab a plate of mouth-watering, creative nachos from your choice of more than 30 local bars and restaurants, for just $8. And remember, if you gorge on nachos and you're too full to squeeze in a swimsuit, there's always the classic swim shirt.
     
     
     
     
     
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In National/World News:

  • Russia ramped up its attacks on Ukraine earlier this week, bombing a children’s hospital in Kyiv. At least 39 people are reported dead after what CNN called “a brazen daytime aerial assault” on targets around Ukraine. The strikes killed four children.
  • Houston, Texas was battered by tropical storm Beryl, which has since left the area, but not before killing four people, including a Houston police officer who drowned on the way to work. Another person reportedly died in a fire caused by a lightning strike and two others were killed by falling trees. The storm was initially categorized as a hurricane, before being downgraded to a tropical storm.
  • Speaking of storms: In a rare bit of news about billionaires doing the right thing with their wealth, Michael Bloomberg, a philanthropist (aren’t all billionaires philanthropic to some degree, for tax breaks?) and former New York City mayor, is making it rain in the right places. Bloomberg announced his foundation will donate $1 billion to Johns Hopkins University, to cover tuition and expenses for nearly all students. The Hill reports the massive donation “will cover 100 percent of tuition for medical students whose families earn less than $300,000” and will also pay the living expenses and fees for students whose families earn up to $175,000.